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Lots of Chinese carbon - dengfu etc etc - but is there an equivalent for alloy frames?
Keen to find something Kinesis like, but cheaper (yes, buyer beware).
Not really. Alu is more from brands as the cost of making one at a time is very high relative to carbon, and its more skilled in the production phase.
You're better off with the german discounters selling Cubes etc. or brand x/chiggle. When heavily reduced you're getting a probably Taiwan made alu frame at not much more than cost, and its got some back up behind it too. Chiggle is happy to sell at 10% over cost so you'd not save anything going direct, and when you factor in shipping etc. it might be the cheaper option.
On one not currently doing an Alu hardtail? It's a Scandal!